A pilot from American Airlines left internet users speechless after sharing his annual salary at the airline.
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The captain’s payroll Boeing 737 and American Airlines based in Miami was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the profile Breaking Aviation News & Videos.
Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the pilot in question earns $360 per hour, which adds up to an impressive $458,000 for a year’s work. According to the website Flyinga pilot usually flies around 75 hours per month, totaling 900 hours per year.
It is also worth highlighting that a captain of the American Airlines earns less than pilots of larger aircraft, such as Boeing 777 or the Airbus A350whose earnings can reach up to US$450 per hour.
The values left internet users completely shocked. “I’m absolutely cool with the guy in charge of the machine that’s holding me 35,000 feet in the air getting paid a lot of money,” wrote one X user.
“Go get your pilot’s license, kids,” joked another. “When your life is in someone else’s hands, you want the most capable person behind the wheel. I love that captains are paid well and have the training and experience to keep the skies safe,” said a third user.
Although many envied the pilot’s salary, others argued that not everything was rosy. “Even so, [você] couldn’t pay me $500,000 to deal with horrible schedules, airports, the general public, constant hotel stays, […] union, delays, etc. I abhor all aspects of commercial air travel. Sounds like a horrible existence,” one commenter mused.
A Miami-based American Airlines Boeing 737 captain has posted their salary pay statement on reddit, leaving many people speechless.
The pilot’s total year to date compensation was $458K, with the hourly pay being $360+ (flight hours only).
Some comments suggest the pilot isn’t… pic.twitter.com/3yH1Z5zB1s
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 23, 2025
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
